Microdermabrasion and Stretch Marks: Everything You Need to Know (2022)

Finally, a solution to your stretch marks! And it doesn’t matter how you got them, just how you can get rid of them. The best part: it doesn’t require surgery. All you need is a simple in-office skin treatment called microdermabrasion. Not familiar with microdermabrasion? We’re going to walk through what it is, what the procedure is like, and what results you can expect.

What Is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a treatment that gently breaks up the top layer of skin to pull dead damaged skin away. This procedure is able to treat light scarring, discoloration, stretch marks, and even sun damage. The treatment is and should be performed by a skin care professional.

Not to be confused with microneedling, a similar non-surgical option for treating the same symptoms. The difference is that microneedling affects deeper skin tissues, and is usually combined with PRP for a vampire facial.

The Microdermabrasion Process

There are three methods used for microdermabrasion: the diamond-tip handpiece, hydradermabrasion, and crystal microdermabrasion. Each are able to help treat problems such as acne scars and signs of aging.

The Diamond-tip Handpiece Method

The tool used for this procedure is hooked up to a suction tube similar to what you might find at your local dental office. The end has an abrasive diamond tip– hence the name. As the dead skin is being removed; it is sucked away instantly.

How Hydradermabrasion Works

The hydradermabrasion method utilizes nutrient-rich water applications while exfoliating the skin, bringing more blood to the surface, and hydrating the skin while doing so.

What Is Crystal Microdermabrasion?

This technique, similar to the diamond-tip piece tool, instead uses a wand with fine crystals. This instrument will gently exfoliate the surface of the skin and remove the top layers. Then, with suction, the instrument removes the dead skin cells right away.

Microdermabrasion – Before & After

As a non-surgical procedure, microdermabrasion shouldn’t be painful, and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) states that the duration of the process should only take between 30 and 40 minutes for the face. The amount of time will change depending on the area being worked on. After the procedure, you will likely feel a slight sunburn-like feeling on the areas performed on.

Microdermabrasion works in a couple of ways, the first by exfoliating the dead skin from the top skin layer. The second way is by encouraging collagen production in the area being treated.

While the exact number of treatments you need will depend on how severe your stretch marks are, some people have treatments every couple of weeks or every month. Skin type will also play a factor in how many treatments you need, but this will be discussed between you and your skincare professional.

The Benefits of Microdermabrasion

There is a wide variety of benefits to microdermabrasion, including:

• Reducing signs of aging, such as fine lines or wrinkles
• Evening out the texture of the skin
• Brightening the skin
• Reducing and fading age spots and dark spots
• Treating melasma, or patches of skin darkening
• Treating scars and acne
• Exfoliating the skin

Additionally, microdermabrasion has proven to be an effective outpatient treatment for stretch marks. So how can you tell if microdermabrasion can help with your stretch marks?

The Basics of Stretch Marks

To understand how microdermabrasion can help with your stretch marks, it’s important to know the two different variations of stretch marks: red and white.

Red Stretch Marks

Also known as striae rubra, these are earlier or newly formed stretch marks and therefore easier to treat. Stretch marks begin as red or pink lines due to the presence of blood vessels underneath the skin. 

Because these blood vessels are still functioning, red stretch marks are more responsive to treatments. If you start microdermabrasion treatment while your stretch marks are still red, you will have better results faster. 

White Stretch Marks

These stretch marks, also known as striae alba, are further developed and tend to be more difficult to treat. With white stretch marks, blood vessels have narrowed which makes it harder to stimulate collagen production.

Microdermabrasion and Stretch Marks

As we have discussed, microdermabrasion works by exfoliating the epidermis or top layer of skin. The challenge with using microdermabrasion to treat stretch marks is that they appear in the dermis or the layer beneath the epidermis. 

However, microdermabrasion can improve the look of the outer layer of skin, creating an illusion that the stretch marks are gone. The effect will be temporary, so you should plan a regimen of microdermabrasion with your skin care professional to maintain the look that you want. 

Potential Treatment Options

There are a couple of ways to try microdermabrasion to reduce the appearance of your stretch marks. An in-office treatment is the recommended choice and will typically take about half an hour. 

On the other hand, you can also try an at-home microdermabrasion machine from the comfort of your own bathroom. While these machines can be a pricey investment, if you find that microdermabrasion works with your skin and stretch mark type, it may be worth the cost for the convenience. 

Benefits of Microdermabrasion

There are tons of benefits to using microdermabrasion. Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider microdermabrasion.

Safer

Since it’s considered a minimally invasive procedure, there are very few risks to consider. 

Quick

Each session only takes about 30 minutes, so you can even go on your lunch break. 

No Down Time

There isn’t the same type of recovery as you would have with surgery. Though there might be slight redness, sensitivity, or tenderness to your skin, you won’t be recovering from anesthesia, an incision, and major surgery. 

Boosts Collagen and Elastin Production

Collagen is the thing that makes skin look young, fresh, and taut. Microdermabrasion has shown to be effective in boosting your natural production of collagen and elastin, helping the skin in the treated area look younger and tighter. 

Works Well With Other Treatments

If you decide to pair the treatment with another skin treatment, you may have even more success. Microdermabrasion can be complementary and produces greater results when coupled with other treatments.

Improves Circulation

As you decide on your skin treatment to address your stretch marks, you should seriously consider microdermabrasion. Being minimally invasive, you won’t have a long recovery and it’s fast enough to be done during a quick office visit.

Are you ready for your brand new skin, stretch mark free?

Call and book an appointment with a skincare specialist today!